With the recent passage of LA County’s Measure H and the City of LA’s Measure HHH (as well as recent momentum at the State level to streamline housing production), public support for solutions to homelessness and housing affordability is markedly changing.

On Friday, July 14th, AIA|LA will host the second annual D4D2 DESIGN FOR DIGNITY conference to focus on solutions to address homelessness, housing affordability, and healthy neighborhoods.

How can the design community implement elements of Measures H and HHH to better serve those in need? What innovative design solutions and resilient programs are possible in this shifting political climate? How do we channel investments to enhance the quality of life in our communities and increase amenities for all without displacing anyone or causing additional people to be priced-out of their neighborhoods?

How are we going to make shelter for the 57,000+ humans living on the streets of Los Angeles County? How do we ensure greater housing affordability for all? Will young families have places to live? Will communities have the amenities needed for children to grow up safely? Will our aging population have healthy places to call home? What programs can slow or halt displacement? Architects and designers have the expertise, and the imperative, to present innovative design solutions and resilient programs that will ensure healthy, complete communities.

Housing is an infrastructure and everyone deserves a beautiful place to call home.

DESIGN FOR DIGNITY will focus on these four themes:

1) Funding & Legislation: Let’s highlight and clarify the opportunities and the funding to be provided by Measure H, HHH and proposed state legislation. Let’s empower the architecture profession to take a leadership role so that we invest these dollars with smart, design-thinking to optimize investment.

2) What is a Home? Let’s redefine what a home is and how the concept of a home evolves with our shifting demographic and let’s embed greater flexibility into our zoning and building codes to ensure our ability to provide homes for all.